Caster



Feb. 13, 1945. E. H SANDBERG 2,369,609

CASTER Filed Oct. 27, 1945 Patented Feb. 13, 1945 l cAs'rEn.. v, y

' Ernest H. Sandberg, Long Beacm'slifif s Application invention .-is: a :novel: improvement; cast'.- era for,` furniture orthe like,y and:` thezprincipal: object ofthe invention is to provide. acaster in which; the.: wheelL carrying: ypkea is swiveled on the:stem ofi-the; caster by anti-frictiombearines including :an upper ball bearing,which carries the?` lateral` thrust` caused'v bythe onset: yof the wheel, and including/a:` lowerv ball bearing which carries: thezload-z or weight and... by* reasonv of; its lower position.v on thev steinv makes. the caster swivekwithrgreatieasea..

' lsQther-obiects ofthe-'invention are tof provide a, of .the aboveI type kembodying r'certain novel: featuressfof:J construe-.tionr hereinafter .set

r ,I .willi erpl ain the -rinventionk with. reference,- to the; accompanying drawing; which illustratesone )gira'cticaliy embodin'ientY thereof toA enable vothersY to adoptand use thesanne:v and. will4 summarize in .the-,claims the' novel 'fe'atures of construction and novel combinations of parts, for which protection is desired.

In said drawing:

Fig. 1 is a vertical section through the caster.

Fig. 2 is an end view thereof.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on the line 3-3, Fig. 1.

As shown, the caster comprises a stem Il having a threaded lower end receiving a washer I2 and nut 2, said stem having thereon an annular flange 3 spaced from the lower end thereof for the purpose hereinafter described.

Upon the stem l between shoulder 3 and wash- A er I2 isa double ball cone 4 for the upper ball bearings 5 and the lower ball bearings 6, the lower ball bearing 6 also riding upon an underlying ball race 1 formed integrally with a yoke 1a in which the caster wheel 8 is journaled on october, 21, 194s,senatnasomzs; siclaims. (ci. 1er-2:1

ton or bau retainers! and` having a. morality or downwardlyv extending tongues ma, four being? shown in Fig. 31.. which extend through-hohes;in-

the annular;I liant-5e#` 1d.l of. the.y race; 1.i the. same beinggriveted-theretofasatlab, whereby the parts Lto Iviinclusive.' are, securely locked together.. to. fom av unit wbichis-:removable f romand mount.-A

able onthestemit..

Above theyokel I Ilgisadust cap LI preferablyof.- inverted cup-shape, the same having a central) opening througbswhichthe-astem I- passes, the unperf facciL of; dust. cap; I'If contacting; the lower ends of theiannular.- shoulder 3 ot the stexn as clearly?- showny in Eig. 1 said dustcap; I-I having oylindfrioalfsideiwalls I Ia surrounding; the mem.`

`ber Ill: andi.elti'leruiing;v down; and terminatingl slightlyA above rvthee-- annular: Hanse,` 1d.v `ot balli, Imassembling theV device; the nutA 2f and washer' I2: beingremoved from; they stent. I; dust cap II is rst slipped onto the lower end of stem I and pushed upwardly until it contacts the lower end of shoulder 3; then the unit 4I0 inclusive which includes the yoke 1aand caster wheel 8 is slipped onto the lower end of the stem and pushed upwardly until it contacts the underside of dust cap Il, whereupon washer |'2 and nut 2 are applied to the lower end of the stem to clamp the ends of cone Il between the washer I2 and dust cap II.

Owing to the above construction the lower ball bearings 6 which ride upon the ball race 1 carry the load, and as the balls 6 are disposed only slightly above the top of the offset caster wheel 8 the weight of. the furniture or other articleaxle bolt 8a in the usual manner, said ball race 1 being substantially cup-shaped as` shown and having` an axial opening for the passage therecaster to swivel very easy.' The upper ball bearings 5 merely' take care of lateral thrust caused by the offsetting of the caster wheel 8.

through of the lower end of cone 4, the portion adjacent said opening underlying the lower ball bearings 6, and having a cylindrical portion 1c surrounding the lower portion of the cone 4 spaced from the ballsl 6, the upper end of cylin-y drical'portion 1c being anged outwardlyas at 1d and further flanged downwardly as at 1e.

A hardened ball retainer 9 is disposed above the upper ball bearings 5 and forms the upper race therefor, saidretainer 9 being maintained in xed relation with respect to the balls 5, cone I, and ball race 1, by means of disk-like member I0 having a central opening through which the stem I passes, vsaid member I0 seating upon the I do not limit my invention to the exact form shown in the drawing, for obviously changes may be made therein within the scope of the claims.

I claim:

l. A caster, comprising a stem; a double ball cone on said stem-adjacent its lower end; means for retaining-the cone thereon; upper and lower ball bearings engaging said double cone; a ball race underlying the lower ball bearing and havlng an external annular stiiening iiange; a yoke carried by said ball race offset from said stem; a wheel journaled in said yoke; a ball retainer overlying the upper ball bearing; and means carried by the flange for securing the retainer for retaining the cone thereon; upper and lower j ball bearings engaging said double cone; a ball.. race underlying the lower ball bearing and having an external annular stiiening flange; a yoke carried by said ball race oiset from said stem; a

wheel journaled in said yoke; a ball retainer overlying the upper ball bearing; and means carried;v

by the iiange forsecuring the retainer and ball race together, "the lower ball bearing carrying the load and the upper ball bearing carrying lateral thrust due to the offset wheel. l

4. In a caster as set forth in claim 3, said securing means comprising a member having an axial opening receiving the stem and having de-` pending tongues passing through perforations in the ball race and riveted thereto, whereby the race, cone, retainer, balls and yoke will form unit.

5. A caster, compri'sing a stem having an annular shoulder adjacent its lower end; a double ball cone on said stem below the shoulder; means for retaining the cone thereon; upper and lower ball bearings engaging said double cone; a ball ra'oe underlying the lower ball bearing and having an external annular stiifening flange;A a'yoke carried by the ball race offset from said stem; a wheel journaledv in said yoke; a ball retainer overlying the upper ball bearings; and a member4 the' embracing the retainer and secured to the flange of the ball race for securing the same together, whereby the lower ball bearing will carry the load and the upper ball bearing will carry the lateral thrust due to the offset wheel.

6. In a caster as set forth in claim 5, said member comprising a disk having an axial opening receiving the stem and having depending tongues passing through perforations in the ball race and riveted-thereto, whereby the race, cone, retainer, balls and yokewill form a unit.

7. In a caster, a removable unit comprising a Vdouble ball cone having a bore; upper and lower ball bearings engaging said double cone; a ball race underlying the lower ball bearings; a yoke .-y -carried by the ball race and offset therefrom; a wheel journalecl in said yoke; a ball retainer voverlying the upper ball bearing; a member havingan axial opening registering with said bore and having depending tongues passing through perforations in the ball race and secured thereto, whereby' the race, cone, retainer, balls and yoke will form a unit.

8. In a caster, a removable unit comprising a double ball cone having a. bore; upper and lower ball bearings engaging said double cone; a ball race underlying thelower ball bearing and having an external annular stiffening flange; a yoke carried by the ball race and oiset therefrom; a wheel journaled in said yoke; a ball retainer overlying the upper ball bearing; and a member embracing the retainer and secured to the ange of the ball race for securing the parts together.

9. In a caster as set forth in claim 8; said member comprising a disk having an axial opening registering with said bore and having depending tongues passing through perforations in the ball race and riveted thereto, whereby the race, cone,

retainer, balls and yoke will form a unit.

ERNEST H. SANDBERG. 

